Moore renews call on council to honour residents of mother and baby homes

A RENEWED call for Meath County Council to honour the memory of people who were resident at any stage in the country’s former mother and baby homes has been made by a local councillor.

Social Democrat Cllr Ronan Moore speaking at a council meeting said that in February 2021, following the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes Meath County Council had agreed to support local measures that formed part of the suite of follow-up actions, for example in relation to memorialisation and access to archives and records. He asked for an update on actions taken by the executive of the council or if any were planned.

Officials responded that the council would engage with the working group established by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to assist local authorities to support local memorialisation initiatives as they are proposed.

Cllr Moore said that in 2021 the Cathaoirleach of the time had offered an unreserved apology to mothers and babies who had lived in these homes and promised that the council would participate in an active way in any memorialisation plan as it related to Co Meath. The council had also promised to write to the Minister calling for access to be given to archives and records as they related to the homes.

He said these remarks had taken place three years ago but nothing had taken place since then. He asked the council to move immediately on the issue. The fact was that there were two more council meetings before the local elections and it might be the case that not all councillors would be returned to the council. It would be a very poor reflection on the council if all that could be shown after three years was an apology on the council website.

He said he knew that this was not an easy process but believed the council should be serious about what it said three years ago. His own party had been very active on the issue and had tried to follow up on the memorialisation and access to archives and records.